TIME (Tissue, Inflammation, Moisture, Edges) and other similar wound assessment tools are based on the concept of wound bed preparation. A survey was developed to explore the role and utility of wound assessment tools in current wound care practice. The survey was answered by attendees of the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) 2018 conference in Krakow, Poland. Out of 300 attendees invited to answer the survey, 250 fulfilled the requirements to complete the survey. Fifty-four questionnaires were considered invalid due to significant data missing. Data analysis was based on the answers of 196 questionnaire. TIME is the most commonly used wound assessment tool in Europe. Despite clinicians being aware of frameworks for wound bed assessment, 40% of respondents did not use them, and those who used them did so in very variable forms. Data showed variability about beliefs and unbalanced implementation of therapeutic decisions. Variation in wound size and in the characteristics of the wound bed were considered the main factors for the assessment of wound progression. Ideally, assessment tools should be unambiguous, easy to teach, easy to implement by a large base of HCPs and carers, and should guide the clinician consistently through assessment and reassessment processes towards the best therapeutic decision.
